


Trial of Terror (WIP)

by GreenBryn



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Bryn's Old WIPs, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2004-06-22
Updated: 2004-06-22
Packaged: 2018-09-16 20:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9287792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenBryn/pseuds/GreenBryn
Summary: There's a group of demons called Froyscdri who acquire things and people to give away as prizes for this event called "Trial of Terror". They've been kidnapping several pretty men, and the trail leads to Sunnydale. Xander and Giles dress up like transvestite hookers to lure out the demons, and end up getting chloroformed and kidnapped themselves.





	

**Author's Note:**

> (This fic was first posted [here](http://spikess.livejournal.com/35304.html).)
> 
>  **Title** : Trial of Terror  
>  **Author** : Dea Brynhild Ensomhet  
>  **Dedication** : This is for Mel-chan ([](http://anatari.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://anatari.livejournal.com/) **anatari** ). Happy Belated birthday (Or maybe Happy Early Birthday? ^_~;;;) . Sorry it's so late.  
>  **Disclaimer** : I don’t own Spike or Xander or anybody. Full disclaimer will be at the end of the fic ‘cause I don’t want to ruin any surprises.  
> 

Mel-chan's birthday fic

This fic was first posted [here](http://spikess.livejournal.com/3654.html).  
  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!!! I've only got the first two parts ready to post, I'll try to get the last part ready to post tomorow...  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
Rated pg-13 for a few colorful words I might’ve slipped in, but it’s pretty mild.  
  
Disclaimer: I don’t own Spike or Xander or anybody. Full disclaimer will be at the end of the fic ‘cause I don’t want to ruin any surprises.  
  
A/N: Alrightie. Sorry it's late, and there's probably a few plot holes I forgot to pave over, and it hasn't been betaed so there's probably a few trivial errors interspersed, and I've never written in the Buffyverse before, so it's probably going to be horrible and I apologize in advance and I probably should just shut up and let you guys read the fic, shouldn't I? FYI, Anya and Dawn don’t exist, or they’re vacationing in the Bahamas, or whatever. They’re not here and neither are dating Xander. ^_^ Onto the fic!  
  
Dedication: This is for Mel-chan (Anatari), who's a way better writer than me and whose birthday is today. I know this is sudden. And, please, if it’s no good, it’s only a fic. But the feeling behind it... I know I'm a bad writer, but I'm a good friend, and all I ask is that you have a good birthday... ^_^  
  
 **Trial of Terror**  
by Brynhild  
  
"Oh my god." Buffy said, breaking the researchfesty quiet that had enveloped the four occupants of the living room.  
  
Giles glanced up from the book he was scanning through. "Did you find it?"  
  
"Nope," Buffy shook her head. "Just kinda thrown for a loop. Are there really demons who look like a slice of lasagna?" she asked, tilting the book she was reading towards him.  
  
Giles glanced though the passage. "Those are Lasatio demons, and though they're rather cubical in appearance, I believe this is the first time they've been described as 'lasagna'. Their skin secrets a translucent gel that can corrode through most metals and is poisonous to humans and most other demons. They have a particular dietary quirk; they consider feline entrails to be a delicacy."  
  
Xander grinned. "Garfield's worst nightmare."  
  
"So it's evil, right? If one ever stops by for a visit-"  
  
"It would be extremely rare to spot one in California, as they need a much colder habitat to survive. The largest known group lives in Greenland. And despite their comical physiology, they are lethal and sadistic. Immediate slayage would be required." Giles informed her.  
  
"See evil frozen lasagna, must slay." Buffy nodded. "Check. Now if we could only find the demon I saw last night."  
  
"Xander, could you hand me that large brown book behind you?"  
  
Xander plucked a leather-bound volume from one of Giles' bookshelves, and read the gilded script on the spine before handing it to Giles. "Cogito ergo sum?"  
  
Giles took the book. "How many times have I told you, Xander, don't read aloud in front of the books. You could accidentally summon something. And yes, 'Cogito ergo sum' - I think, therefore I am. Hortisano's collection of assorted demons and sprits whose main foundation for existing is that they exist on thoughts and emotions." He flipped through the pages, coming to a halt on a page with an ink sketch, and held the book so that Buffy could see. "Is this the creature that you saw?"  
  
Buffy glanced at the sketch and nodded, scanning over the passage next to the drawing. "Yep, that's the guy: tall, green, and ugly. Frosty demons?"  
  
"Froyscdri," Giles absently corrected her pronunciation as he poured over the passage. "They have a average lifespan of about a month, before ceasing to exist. During their lives they buy and steal things to give away as prizes in the Trial of Terror."  
  
"Good news, Buff. They'll self-destruct in less than a month. Easy slayage." Xander grinned.  
  
"It's not that simple, Xander," Buffy shook her head. "We still have to hunt them down and slay them. They can hurt alot of people in a month."  
  
Willow frowned, listening to the conversation while she searched on her computer for missing persons, the morgues having not revealed any pertinent information. "Giles, what do you mean, they exist on thoughts and emotions?"  
  
"They're a type of empath demon," Giles explained, "They feed off the thoughts and emotions of other creatures, especially savoring the vibes that emit from creatures in competition."  
  
"We get it, Giles." Buffy interrupted. "How do we kill them?"  
  
"You can't. They regenerate decapitated limbs incredibly fast, and are resistant to magic and poisons. They aren't actually evil, taking pleasure in destruction - rather, they prefer a battle of merit. They set up a Trial of Terror that consists of three questions that you must answer correctly to be awarded a prize. If you get one question wrong, you get knocked unconscious - which is deadly if you become incapacitated to answer the other two questions. If you answer all three incorrectly, you're sold into slavery and will most likely spend an eternity or two doing menial labor for a lesser hell-god or demon."  
  
"Fun times." Xander muttered.  
  
"Uh, guys?" the clicking of keys paused and Willow pointed to the screen. "I think you should take a look at this." The rest of the scoobies gathered behind her to see what she had found. "In the last two weeks, there's been a rash of disappearances in nearby cities, and the trail leads straight to Sunnydale."  
  
"Twenty-nine disappearances total, all men between nineteen and mid-forties." Giles read from the computer. "Are there any other connections between the victims?"  
  
"I'm checking." Willow replied, and the clicking of keys resumed. "Joseph Banks, twenty-three, left a party and there was no evidence that he made it home. Phillip Swandan, thirty-six, attending night classes at the local university, didn't show up one night. His apartment was checked, no forced entry, no evidence of any kind that would lead to a kidnapper. Shawn Trepeah, twenty-nine, was last seen dropping his girlfriend off after going to a theater, didn't show up for work the next day. Also no forced entry at his apartment. Bailey McBride, thirty two-"  
  
"All these guys were walking around the streets when they disappeared?" Xander said. "Are we sure they weren't picked off by regular run-of-the-mill vamps? Might not be this Frosty demon."  
  
"Estimated time of disappearance is around ten-thirty, give or take two hours." Willow replied. "After sunset, so it is possible..."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "But not probable. No bodies, no blood marks, just disappearances. Vampires aren't known to clean up after themselves. And we don't know for sure that the Frosty demon is the cause, but there rarely are coincidences in Sunnydale." She watched as pictures of the victims loaded. "Is it just me, or are most of these guys kinda pretty?"  
  
Xander glanced at the images again. "So what? Our demon-of-the-week is only kidnapping Ganymedes-look-a-likes?" The others stared at him for a moment. "What? I paid attention in class!" he exclaimed, before mumbling, "sometimes."   
  
"I think I found a link." Willow squinted, reading some of the fine-print on the screen, before typing in a new search. "Justin Puhpea, nineteen, also disappeared. He's got a record at the local police department - was arrested for prostitution a few times." At the gang's confused looks as to the point, she elaborated. "He's a transvestite. Joseph Banks' website has several links to Rocky Horror Picture Show fansites as well as a page of local theater listings - there was a performance the night of his disappearance. And Bailey McBride won "Best Formalwear" in a drag contest. I think everyone who disappeared were transvestites."  
  
"Now these Frosty demons are in Sunnydale, looking for more victims... and they're supposedly unkillable. The only way to get these people back is to win them as prizes in the Trial of Terror?" Buffy reiterated and Giles nodded. "How do I sign up for this Trial of Terror?"  
  
"You have to challenge one of the Froyscdri face-to-face, which means luring them out into the open." Giles supplied.  
  
"So we need bait to draw them out..." Buffy murmured, and as one all gazes turned to Xander.  
  
There was a brief moment of confusion before horror dawned in the young man's eyes. "No way. No friggin way am I going to dress up in drag as bait."  
  
"We're definitely going to need to buy some clothes, I don't think he'd fit in any of ours." Buffy evaluated thoughtfully, her eyes raking over Xander from head to toe in a way that he had dreamt about years ago, but was now making him want to turn and run.  
  
"I know just the place to go, but I'll need money." Willow glanced hopefully at Giles.  
  
"Very well." Giles sighed, "I'll give you some spending money."  
  
"Are you guys deaf?" Xander exclaimed, "I said I'm not doing this!"  
  
"But Xander, you have to!" Willow pouted, "People could get hurt if we don't confront the Froyscdri demons as soon as possible."  
  
Oh god, not the pout... "Alright Willow." Xander couldn't believe he'd agreed to this crazy plan. Damn women and their wiley ways.  
  
"Oh, do calm down Xander." Giles sighed, removing his spectacles to clean the lenses, "Crossdressing is nothing to get so worked up over."  
  
"Yeah? Then why don't you be the bait?" Xander shot back.  
  
Giles nodded. "Very well. I will assist you in luring out the Froyscdri."  
  
Buffy's eyes widened. "You'll what?"  
  
"This I gotta see." Willow whispered, her eyes glazing over slightly as a half-remembered fantasy drifted through her mind.  
  
Giles shrugged. "Xander has a point. Two targets would be harder to pass up than one." He handed Willow a few bills before heading upstairs. "Buffy, why don't you work through some exercises while Willow finds Xander an outfit?"  
  
"Wait, what are you going to wear?" Buffy wondered aloud as Willow pulled Xander outside and off to find clothes.  
  
Giles smiled mysteriously. "I believe I have an outfit that would suffice," he replied, and went upstairs.  
  
Buffy shook her head as she began to stretch. "I do not want to know what kind of kinky things Giles has hidden in his closet."  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
It wasn't very far away, the small store nestled behind a gas station and next to the old motel that'd been abandoned for months. A large sign proclaimed the name of the store: Suzzane's Sex Shop. Xander whimpered as their destination came into view, and Willow grinned. "Come on, Xander, don't tell me you've never been here before."  
  
Xander glanced at her. "I'm pretty sure shopping for women's clothing is a first, Will." Willow's grin just grew wider as she dragged him inside. The buxom woman behind the counter turned to them and smiled.  
  
"Willow! Nice to see you again. How is everything with you and Tara?" she eyed Xander appreciatively. "Nice looking piece of flesh you got there, big hands too, bet he's a Viking in the sack. Does your girlfriend know about him?"  
  
Willow laughed. "Hey Suz. Tara's great, I'll tell her you said hi. She's at home finishing up a Psych paper, and you know full well that I'd never cheat on her. This is Xander, my best platonic friend. He needs a skirt."  
  
"I know you wouldn't cheat on her, just gotta remind you what a catch you've got sometimes." Suzzane said. "Your boy looks like the black leather type, and you're in luck - there's a sale on leather skirts today."  
  
"Thanks Suz." Willow pulled Xander past the racks and shelves of all sorts of gadgets and gismos to the back of the store where the clothing racks were. She sifted though the hangers, before selecting a few thigh-length black leather skirts and pressing them into Xander's hands. "Are you okay?" she asked as she steered him towards the dressing rooms, noticing the half-shocked expression on his face that he'd been sporting ever since he'd entered the store.  
  
"My father figure is paying for a leather skirt that I'm buying in a fetish shop with my best friend who happens to be a lesbian. Oh yeah, I'm going to need therapy for this." Xander sighed.  
  
Willow giggled. "It's not so bad. I'll go pick out a blouse while you try on the skirts. If you're a good boy, I'll buy you a penis-shaped lollypop." Xander was not amused.  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
Buffy was bored. Willow was fussing over Xander, and Giles was still upstairs looking for something feminine to wear, but Buffy suspected he might just be hiding. She almost wished Spike was around to threaten, at least then she'd have something to do. Spotting Willow's bag propped against the couch, she called out, "Hey Wills, can I check my email on your laptop?"  
  
"Sure." Willow called back, busy applying Xander's makeup.  
  
Buffy pulled the computer out of Willow's bag and hooked it into the phone line, quickly connecting to the internet and checking her email, which turned out to be all junk with titles like "12 Inches Deep Inside My Throat", "BAYRAM VE ARALIK TURLARIMIZ", "herbal viagra", "inkjet printers 4 less!!!!!1!", and one with the subject of "Grapefruit". Curious, she opened the last one and read it, instantly regretting it as she quickly deleted the filthy email.  
  
"I had no idea you could do that with a grapefruit," she muttered disgustedly, "and I wish I remained ignorant." Still bored, she surfed to a search engine and typed in 'transvestite'. Several hits were to "RHPS" fan pages, and she clicked on a random one. She tapped her fingers as she waited for the images on the website to load, and then promptly screamed.  
  
"Buffy! What is it?" Xander cried out as he and Willow ran from the bathroom to Buffy's side, Willow clutching a brush and foundation in one hand, while Xander was wearing a black leather skirt and black stockings, and a dark cranberry crushed velvet blouse. Both jaws dropped as they stared at the image on the computer screen. Three sets of horrified eyes looked up as Giles stumbled down the stairs in response to Buffy's scream, and Buffy had to slap her hand over her mouth to stifle a second scream.  
  
"What's wrong, Buffy?" Giles exclaimed, trying not to twist his ankle as he stumbled in his five-inch heels on his hurry to get to his Slayer. He grabbed the railing to steady himself, and finally took in all three shocked expressions. "Do close your mouths before you catch flies." he adjusted the black fishnet stockings and too-tight black leather hot pants before gliding down the last few steps with a grace only someone who was used to wearing heels could achieve. A black glittery vest covered most of his chest and hung by two thin straps, leaving most of his shoulders and upper arms bare. Black net gloves with the fingertips ripped off went up to his elbows, and a short strand of white pearls hung around his neck. His lips were shiny and red, and his eyes were outlined in black. His glasses were nowhere to be seen. Xander and Willow closed their mouths, but Buffy was too shocked to move.  
  
"Giles," Willow blurted out, "When did you play Frank N. Furter in 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'?"  
  
Giles frowned, "I never played in RHPS." The three scoobies stared pointedly at his outfit. "I was just a fan who occasionally dressed up." An image of Ethan in a gold g-string and nothing else flittered across his memory, and he smiled. Those were the days.  
  
Xander gestured wildly at the computer. "Then how do you explain that?"  
  
Giles looked at the images on the computer. "The resemblance is truly frightening," Giles murmured. "But that's not me. That's some actor named Anthony Head." he lifted one foot up to tighten the strap over his ankle.  
  
"Creepy." Willow murmured, her gaze back on the computer.  
  
"Ultra creepy." Xander and Buffy agreed, Buffy having finally calmed down. Xander eyed Giles' footwear, and then glared at the black and white monstrosities on his own feet. "Hey, how come he gets heels and I have to wear saddleshoes?"  
  
"We already went over this; you're too klutzy to manage heels, and those were the only shoes we could find that fit you. Come on, Xander." Willow grabbed Xan's arm and pulled him back towards the bathroom. "We have to finish getting you ready."  
  
Buffy quickly shut down Willow's computer and put it away, vowing never to look at images on the internet again.  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
Xander muffled a giggle, wondering idly if the insanity that is living on the Hellmouth had finally warped his mind. Surely a sane person would never find themselves in this position. Swallowing the giggle had made his whole torso quiver gently, and caused two ice-blue eyes to raise and focus on his own dark brown ones. Spike caught the tinge of madness in the giggle and lifted one eyebrow.  
  
"Stop shaking, Whelp. You'll make me smudge the paint." Slowly smoothing the enamel onto each nail in a even layer, the Big Bad had a look of concentration that was almost comical and Xander would have laughed if he didn't think that Spike would rip his throat out for it, chip or no chip. He hadn't thought that Willow's threat of turning Bleach-boy into a mouse if he did a bad job painting Xander's nails would have been taken so seriously, but maybe it was more fear of how Willow might accidentally mess up the mousing spell that drove Spike. The promise of a bag of human blood as a reward for a good job didn't hurt either. "I still think the black polish is better."  
  
"I know, Spike." Willow said from where she and Tara were sitting cross-legged, surrounded by Giles' books, busy putting together a tracking spell to use on the demon Buffy would challenge. "But Giles is already wearing black polish, and the red matches Xander's blouse."  
  
"Why is Spike here again?" Buffy asked, sharpening a few stakes.  
  
"In case the Froyscdri are more violent than Giles thinks they are." Willow replied, flipping through a few pages and jotting down notes. "You might need the backup."  
  
"And in case her royal Sluttyness wimps out at the Trial of Terror." Spike smirked at Buffy's glare. He blew gently on Xander's nails, and Xander barely suppressed a shiver. Spike noticed and his smirk turned to Xander. "Like that, do you, luv?" he murmured, and blew on the drying enamel again. This time Xander had to bite his lip to keep from moaning. He was about to do something stupid like kiss those taunting lips when Giles came downstairs again.  
  
"Snazzy threads, Watcher." Spike leered and whistled appreciatively. "and a very nice package you've been hiding under the tweed."  
  
"Do shut up, Spike." Giles snapped, adjusting his vest and glancing at the witches. "Are we ready?"  
  
Willow stood up and helped Tara to her feet. "As ready as ready can be." Willow said, helping Tara gather the supplies they'd need for the spell. Buffy began stuffing weapons into a backpack, and Spike grabbed an axe for himself.  
  
Xander fiddled witht he hem of his blouse. "I still think this is a bad idea."  
  
"We know." Giles said, opening his front door. "Let's go."  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
"How long are we going to wait for?" Xander asked, leaning against a lamppost and began picking at the polish on his nails.  
  
Giles checked his watch. "It's only ten-twenty, Xander. We still have a few hours in which the Froyscdri could show up." He glanced at the tall bushes on the other side of the street in which the rest of the scooby gang was hiding. "I hope they're paying attention to their surroundings." He noticed Xander's pensive expression, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." At Giles' stare, he yielded. "I think I'm starting to get feelings for someone..."  
  
"Spike?" Giles queried, and was rewarded by Xander's shock. "I've noticed the way you two look at each other."  
  
"Guess they don't call you Watcher for nothing." Xander joked, before turning serious. "And you're okay with this? I thought you hated Spike."  
  
Giles answered honestly, "Spike is a homicidal demon with no regrets about casual murder. But he has helped us out many times for little to no reward, and it is your life. I can't tell you what to do, I just hope you'll be careful."  
  
Xander smiled, and was about to thank Giles for his support when a sweet-smelling cloth was placed over his face and the world turned black.  
  
~~~~~***~~~~~  
  
"Heads-up, Slayer. Big uglies are here, and have apparently taken a fancy to your bait." Spike drew Buffy's attention to the other side of the street, where two Froyscdri demons had chloroformed the watcher and the whelp and were loading them inside a sleek black car, while another demon played look-out. Spike fought back a growl as Xander disappeared inside the vehicle. _how dare they touch what's mine._  
  
The witches who'd already set up a circle, immediately began chanting. Buffy swore and broke out into a run towards the demon playing lookout. The car screeched away and the demon left behind tried to escape, but was quickly tackled to the ground.  
  
Spike caught up to where Buffy was straddling the demon, pressing him face-down into the pavement. "I challenge you to the Trial of Terror to win back my friends, and if you or your buddies have hurt them, I swear I will rip off your arms and beat you to death with them." she growled, yanking on his arm that was twisted behind his back painfully.  
  
"Oww! Fine, okay! Just let me up!" Buffy released the demon and stood, crossing her arms over her chest. The Froyscdri demon got to his feet, brushing dirt off his insane-asylum grey suit. His skin was a forest green, and his long hair was dark pink that reached to about mid-back. "You want to participate in the Trial of Terror? Fine. Come to this address in two hours, without weapons." He pulled an off-white business card out of his pocket and handed it to her, before walking off. Buffy stared at the card in her hands as Willow and Tara joined her and Spike.  
  
"You chits did the mojo?" Spike asked.  
  
Tara nodded, "Yeah, for the next twelve hours we'll be able to find that demon wherever he goes."  
  
Willow placed a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder. "We'll get Xander and Giles back."  
  
Buffy wiped away a few tears that were threatening to fall. "Damn right we will." she smiled at Willow. "Let's go back to Giles' place, I want to know as much as I can about this Trial of Terror."

~~~~~***~~~~~

Xander came to slowly, wondering why his bed was so hard and cold. Fear slammed though his body when he didn't recognize his surroundings, and he groggily sat up and looked around, the memories of the street corner gradually coming back. His wrists were chained together, but that was the only restraint. In the dim moonlight filtering in from a barred window, he could make out Giles' slumped body. Crawling over to his mentor, he shook his shoulder.

Giles stirred, his eyes opening and blearily looking around. "Xander." Giles sighed, relieved. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Xander helped Giles stand up. "Are you okay?"

Giles began brushing the dust off of his outfit, despite his wrists being chained together too. "Reasonably well under the circumstances, I assure you." He pulled out his spectacles from a pocket in the vest and put them on, glancing around the room. He was about to say something when they heard shouts in the Froyscdri's language. Giles leaned against the door to their cell, ear pressed against the quarter-sized eyehole.

"What are they saying?" Xander whispered, crouching next to Giles.

Giles' forehead scrunched a bit as he tried to translate the warped Latin. "I am incapable...of securing...the condemned primate...aloft the lagoon..." He frowned, "I think. The translation seems corrupted somehow..."

Xander wore an incredulous expression. "'I can't get the damned monkey over the pond'? What is that supposed to mean?"

Giles suppressed a frustrated glare. "How am I supposed to know what it bloody means? I arrived in this predicament the same moment you did."

Xander raised his bound hands in a peaceful gesture. "Sorry." he sighed, leaning against the wall. "I just hope Buffy rescues us soon."

Just then the door to their prison opened and a male Froyscdri stepped in, clothed only in gray pants. As ugly as his face was, his chest could have been a green-tinted copy of Fabio's. He attached lead chains to both Xander and Giles' bound wrists. "It is time to be cleansed and prepared for the Trial of Terror." he said, "Come with me." He left, the two chains clenched tightly in his fist, and Giles and Xander had no choice but to follow. Halfway down the hallway, the male Froyscdri gave Giles' chain to a smiling female Froyscdri, clothed in a floor-length flowing insane-asylum-gray toga dress, her long pink hair braided down her back.

Her face was slightly less scary and mangled-looking then the male's, but the separation of their chains was a red flag to Xander. His unease increased a notch when he realized that their Froyscdris were headed to separate rooms on opposite sides of the hallway. "Giles..." he said, worry lacing his voice.

"It will be alright, Xander." was all Giles could say before he was pulled into one room and the door shut behind him. The male whom Xander nicknamed Chest tugged on Xander's chain, dragging him into the other room where a half-dozen well-proportioned males in the same style of dress were awaiting him. The door closed and Chest unlocked the chains around Xander's wrists while Xander scoped out the company. The smallest guy also looked much older than the others, and the guy next to him was several heads taller and had thick pink hair covering his chest. One Froyscdri was wearing glasses and was tall and lean but well muscled, almost reminding him of a green-tinted mix between Giles and Spike. The other two guys that Xander nicknamed Toothy and Curly were rooting through a large cabinet against one wall. Toothy glanced at him briefly, mouth opening in a wide smile revealing all his teeth. Curly's hair fell in waves around his shoulders, worn a bit longer than the other guys'. There was a cheap-looking cot in the middle of the room, and a drain in the middle of the off-white colored tile floor. Chest grabbed his blouse, yanking it up and over his head.

"Hey!" Xander cried, backpedaling quickly to stay out of reach of the big guy. Chest took a step towards him, and Xander immediately stepped back.

"Strip." Chest said.

Xander shook his head. "No way, man." Chest shrugged and stepped aside. Xander was about to sigh in relief, when he noticed the other five guys headed his way, each swinging a large bucket.

"What th-" Xander was cut off by the torrent of cold water dumped on him. Xander wiped his eyes and glared at the Froyscdri. Toothy, Hairy, and Curly were snickering slightly at his drowned-rat impersonation, but Grampa and Glasses looked sympathetic.

"Strip." Chest said again, now holding a pair of gray pants identical to what they were all wearing.

"Strip. Right." Xander replied, kicking off sodden saddleshoes and peeling off his stockings. Chest tossed him the pants and he caught them in mid-air. He hesitated, pants caught in one hand, dripping water on the cool tile. "A little privacy?" he asked. The guys sniggered at his modesty, and Chest gestured to a changing screen in the corner Xander hadn't noticed. Behind the screen was a stool with a gray towel folded on top. He quickly shucked off the skirt and dried off, and slid the soft gray pants on. Was that all? He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but the cleansing had been relatively mild.

"So, What's next?" Xander asked, stepping out from behind the screen, and stopping in his tracks. Each guy was now holding a large fish by the tail, the kind Uncle Roary would be proud to have stuffed and mounted on his wall, and they were advancing on Xander with the you-will-not-escape attitude of the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead".

Xander gulped.

TBC!


End file.
